You Were The One
by toledo girl
Summary: House has to deal with the fact that Cuddy is getting married to Lucas. Even if he is mad at her, he allows her to see that there is a difference between love and loving the idea of love, something that many people confuse.
1. Chapter 1

Part 1: House's Regrets

_When they lay down the fish will swim upstream  
And I'll contest, but they won't listen  
When the casualty rate's near 100%  
And there isn't a pension for second best  
Or for hardly moving_

Crashing through the parlor doors  
What was your first reaction?  
Screaming, drunk, disorderly: I'll tell you mine  
You were the one  
But I can't spit it out when the date's been set  
The white routine to be ingested inaccurately

_ ~ Company Calls Epilogue by Death Cab For Cutie_

House sat in his lonely apartment. All month he had to deal with the fact that Lisa Cuddy was going to get married. All the news that he heard, the random conversations all had something to do with the wedding. The ones who were invited were asking the ones who weren't what they should wear and people were asking each other what gift to get. He knew that couldn't have been all that everyone was talking about, but it was all that stuck out to him.

Today was going to be no different. He still had to go into work and face all of it again. The wedding was going to be tomorrow, so at least it would be the last of it for a while. Next, he knew though, everyone would be talking about how the wedding went, then the honeymoon. It would take a good few months for everything to completely blow over, but that wasn't even what was bothering him, it was the fact that things would never be the same again. He and Cuddy wouldn't be the same ever again.

The phone was right there next to him, all he had to do was call off sick that day. Of course, that would have lead to further talk, not that he cared what people thought about him, he just didn't want every moron there asking him questions. He also knew that he had to get used to what was going on. It wasn't going to go away after one day, so that sick day would do nothing for him. "Let's go get this over with," he said to himself as he got up off the couch and headed towards the door.

At work, it was all the same thing that had been going on for the last month. As he made his way through the lobby, he saw Cuddy in her office, standing over her desk with a box in her hand. She was packing. After a month of avoiding each other, she was packing up. He wanted to go in and talk to her. Most people say that they wanted to at least say goodbye, but at the moment he was having a hard time understanding how someone could say that, making the goodbye part sound so easy. To him, the easiest thing really would have been just to say hello. No 'I'm sorrys' or 'good lucks' or anything of that sort. Those all lead to the revelation of hidden feelings. There was no way he could just go in there and talk to her, especially after what had happened between them the night she announced her engagement.

(_House was about to walk into his office, but saw Cuddy standing before his team. He didn't know it at the time, but she had been looking for him. Since she couldn't find him, she announced it to them. He caught on. Standing there, he blankly stared through the glass as he watched Cuddy hug people, smile, show off her engagement ring. He wanted everything to just go in there and tell her what he had thought about it, but there was a sparkle in her eyes, an irreplaceable joy of some sort. He couldn't ruin it. There were so many times in his life that he had been selfish, but this was one time that he just could not go through with. _

_Avoiding her, he went over to Wilson's empty office and out onto the balcony area outside. He needed to be by himself. _

_Cuddy looked up from all the excitement inside and saw him standing there with his back to her. Without a second thought, she excused herself from the rest and went out to show him her ring. "House?" she gently asked to get his attention. _

_House looked over, his expression failing to show any amusement what so ever. "Yeah?" he gruffly asked. He could see the happiness in her eyes, and it made him cringe. He wanted her to be happy, but he also wanted to be the one to make her happy._

_Cuddy stopped and studied him for a minute. "Something wrong?" Her smile had faded, and was replaced by concern. _

"_What you really mean is why aren't I jumping for joy over your engagement?" He asked and then turned to face forward again. "If it hasn't occurred to you yet, I don't really care what you do outside of work, just as long as you show up wearing those skin tight little outfits that make me love both the twins and the ass equally." _

_The words stung her. She could easily pick up on the jealousy and bitterness that lined his voice. "I just wanted to let you know that you're invited to the wedding if you wanted to come." It was hard for her to even be standing by him at the moment, let alone talking to him after what he had said. She had known that he hadn't meant any of it, but it still hurt. _

_House looked back over to her. For some unknown reason to him, she looked more gorgeous than ever. The dim moonlight shown down on her glistening grey eyes, and her ebony curls. Her expression was hopeful. Somehow, this caused him to feel more guilty and pitiful than he had ever felt in his life. "I guess any reason's as good as any to get drunk for a night."_

_Cuddy bit her lip and closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to hold back her tears. "Right," she said and then rushed off. _)

He had always known that she had hurried off to cry, but had never said anything to her. It was awkward enough to talk to her strictly about business, let alone about what had happened that night. Coming out of his deep thought, he had realized that Cuddy had noticed him. Now he had to say something. Gathering everything he had within himself, he walked into the office and stood before her halfway cleaned off desk.

"Something wrong?" Cuddy asked as she set her box down. There was a small hint of the old playfulness that he used to find so amusing when ever they would banter.

"I'm running a scientific experiment. Trying to see what view of you bending down causes the heart rate to go up faster, the frontal or rear," House said. He saw Cuddy roll her eyes to him. "Hey," he said shrugging. "Gotta respect science." As she was ignoring him, he reached down and grabbed a folded paper off her desk and stuck it into his pocket.

"Not today House, I'm busy, so if you don't need anything important," she started, but was then cut off by the statement that would cause her to stop.

"I think you're making a mistake," House stated.

It took Cuddy a minute to absorb what had just happened. "What?" she asked as she turned around to him.

"Actually," House stated as he stepped closer to her. "I don't think it's a mistake, I know it's a mistake. You're marrying Lucas because he was willing, not because you love him."

Cuddy was taken aback by what she had just heard. She set her box back down and placed her hands on her hips. "You're against my marriage!?" she asked with complete disbelief. She then walked over to him and stood before him. "Listen to me House, I don't give a damn what you think. I'm not a little girl and you are not my father. You no right what so ever to come in here and tell me that my life decisions are wrong. Who the hell do you think you are to tell me how I feel and why I'm getting married?"

"You're not even going to ask why?" House asked.

Cuddy just sighed, "if it were anyone else, I might." She let her arms drop to her sides and watched him for a minute. "I know that you're against the wedding because you're jealous, but…"

"Of course I'm against it!" House yelled. "But not just out of jealousy! You can think that as long as you would like! But you know I'm right! You were scared and you jumped into the first opportunity of security that presented itself! You don't love him, you're just trying to make sure that you have some one for you and the kid." As soon as he had finished, he looked up and saw tears starting to rim her eyes. It hit him, but he still had to yell at her like that, he had to allow himself to separate from her. "You don't love him, you love the idea of loving him."

"And you think that I love you?" Cuddy asked. Her face was starting to show the signs of weakness and defeat. She usually got this way whenever she just wanted to stop talking and get back to whatever she was doing.

"Hey!" House said. "You were the one that wanted a relationship with me! Then I go crazy so you decide that maybe you should give up! Then, here comes some one that you used to date! And look at that! He still has feelings! Who cares what you think cause hey, he's here and willing to stay with you!" He let a minute of silence go by before he said anything else. "Think about what you say before you say it," he said and then turned and left. As soon as he got to the empty elevator, he pulled out the note and unfolded it, only to reveal that she had to call the movers to get her things to New York.

Now, was the time where he really felt like a jerk. "Goodbye Cuddy," he said and then crumbled the paper and shoved it back into his pocket.

**This is supposed to be an extremely short story, only one or two more chapters. Let me know what you think and I hope you enjoy it. **


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2 (Cuddy's Wedding)

Cuddy sat in the backroom of the church as she stared into the mirror. Her mother and sister had left to take their places, leaving her alone with her own reflection. It was hard for her to believe that she was finally getting married, everything that she had ever wanted was going to be hers. She was a mother and going to be a wife. As happy as she should be, she couldn't help but desperately stare at herself. "Damn it House," she softly cursed. The only thing she could think of at the moment were the words that he had told her.

"_Of course I'm against it! But not just out of jealousy! You can think that as long as you would like! But you know I'm right! You were scared and you jumped into the first opportunity of security that presented itself! You don't love him, you're just trying to make sure that you have some one for you and the kid."_

She was beginning to think that he was right. That maybe she was willing to just settle.

"_You wanted a relationship with me! Then I go crazy so you decide that maybe you should give up! Then, here comes some one that you used to date! And look at that! He still has feelings! Who cares what you think cause hey, he's here and willing to stay with you!"_

Cuddy was about to cry, but to keep from ruining her make up she tilted her head back towards the ceiling and carefully dabbed her eyes.

When the time came, she got up and walked to the entrance of the church behind the bridesmaids and met with her father. He had been a little disappointed that she was getting married in a protestant church, but that was one thing that Lucas's parents wanted more than anything, and she didn't have the heart to say no to them since they had helped out with so much. She smiled up at her father, who returned the smile and linked his arm with hers.

The music started to play. Cuddy's heart raced as she awaited for her time to walk down the aisle. Closing her eyes she tried to calm herself down, or at least possibly have a better feeling about all of this. Opening her eyes, she started to walk down the aisle along side her father. She looked over to her side of the church, and saw some of her family and some of the people from the hospital, but no House. She spotted Wilson who guiltily shrugged. She forced a small smile to him and then turned her attention to the man standing before her, Lucas Douglas, her groom.

Cuddy forced a smile as she went and joined him at the alter. The entire time they smiled at each and would glance around the church. Little did Lucas know that those supposed tears of happiness in Cuddy's eyes as she faked her smile, were actually the growing regret that she had building up inside of her.

The time came where they were each handed their rings. Lucas held up Cuddy's hand and stated the phrase, "with this ring, I be wed."

Cuddy looked down to the side where she had been fiddling with the ring and then glanced up as she saw some one walk into the church. It was House. He simply stepped in and stood in the back as he leaned against the wall with his hands folded over the handle of his cane. Cuddy took a deep breath as she brought herself back to what she was doing and slid the ring onto Lucas's finger. "With this ring, I be wed."

"Now," the minister started, "Do you Lucas Douglas, take Lisa Cuddy to be your lawfully wedded wife to have and to hold, in sickness and in wealth until death do you part? Say I do."

"I do," Lucas said as he nodded to Cuddy.

"And do you, Lisa Cuddy , take Lucas Douglas to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold through sickness and in health until death do you part? Say I do."

Cuddy flashed the fakest smile that she had ever had to flash in her life as she was about to answer. "I…" She could see House standing there out of the corner of her eye. Random memories of her and House together went through her head, and then the ones that she had of Lucas, and somehow, they didn't compare. "I…." she started again. Only this time, those words that she had remembered earlier before the ceremony, had been going through her head again. She finally dropped her smile, which caused Lucas's to fade. "I'm sorry Luke, but I can't do this." Trying to hide from embarrassment, she hastily made her way down the aisle and out of the church.

Lucas stood up there and blankly stared in her direction as the people in the crowd turned and questioned what had happened. House quietly slipped out of the church and spotted her across the street at the park. He made his way to the picnic table that she had settled herself on top of with her veil and bouquet sitting next to her. In her hand was a carnation from her bouquet that she had been pulling the petals from and throwing.

"What do you want? To rub my face in it?" Cuddy asked as she looked up to him. "Tell me how right you were, let me know how I'm going to end up alone? How Rachel's going to get sick of me bringing home random men." She trailed off as she started to cry.

House just grabbed her things and took the seat next to her on the table. He reached back and tossed them on the seat behind them. "Actually," he said staring down at his cane. "I was going to ask why you did that?" He looked up just in time to see her look to him with disbelief.

"You," she shook her head as she ironically laughed. "You come to me and go on and on about how this is some marriage of false security and how I was rushing into a fake one-sided relationship! After putting all those thoughts into my head and screwing around with my emotions you come to ask why I had some panic attack up there?"

House smirked at her. "Since when do I have an affect on what you do? You chose to listen to me."

Cuddy calmed herself down as she looked out towards the ocean. She sighed as she shook her head and then started down at the flower still in her hand. "The perfect wedding," she said as she continued picking at the flower. "I had everything for the perfect wedding, the dress, the cake, the place, the time of year." She slowly looked up to him with her eyes beginning to water. "Yet, I felt anything but perfect. It was like that excitement and the feelings that I had for him had all faded. Like I was just going through the motions in there."

House raised his eyebrows. "And what? You've never heard of cold feet?"

Cuddy's face went completely blank at that moment. "Why are you doing this to me? You try and stop the wedding and now you suddenly think I should go through with it when I realize that I can't?" She could see him getting ready t o answer, but wasn't interested in hearing it. Instead, she got down from the table and started walking away, towards the cliff that lead down to the ocean. "Not now House," she started. "I can't deal with this now." Her head shot up as soon as she realized that he had said the same thing at the same time. Cuddy turned and saw him still sitting on the table.

House looked over. "If I recall right, you've been saying the same thing for twenty years now," he said taking his cane and pointing to her.

She rolled her eyes. "The only thing that means is that I've never wanted to deal with you."

House stood up and limped towards her. "I think the first time I heard that was when your boyfriend broke up with you. Everyday before, I would make a comment about your boobs, the ass thing didn't come til later on. Then the day he broke up with you, you told me, 'not now Greg, I can't deal with you." Then I followed you to your dorm and I remember something about punching a guy."

Cuddy stood there, astonished that he could even recall that. "That's right," she gasped. "You punched my ex boyfriend after he accused me of cheating on him." She just stared with interest and confusion. "How did you remember that?"

House tilted his head and sighed in mock annoyance. "It was back when I could actually outrun that man."

Cuddy just stood there for a minute as she thought through what had just happened. House had remembered a time that was important to her, a time when he was there for her, a time that she would never forget. "Well, I remember it because you hurt the man that hurt me." In the back of her head, she had hoped that those words would somehow strike him.

House calmly stood there. "And are you going to remember this as the day that I somehow inadvertently ruined?" he asked.

Cuddy nodded. "Oh, I think you knew very well what you were doing."

"So now it's completely my fault?" House asked.

The tone in his voice had taken Cuddy by surprise. She had been expecting sarcasm with a question like that, but instead got a subtle tone of concern. "Well, I guess if you wouldn't have said anything, I would have realized all of this too late." She looked off towards the side and watched a group of ducks for a minute. "Maybe I just wasn't meant to get married." She laughed to herself in disbelief. "The perfect man and the perfect opportunity comes along and I don't feel anything anymore." The almost bride sighed and walked back over to the picnic table and sat down.

House followed her and sat down beside her. "Maybe someday the kid will find a play date with a hot single dad for you," he joked.

Cuddy looked up to him. "Yeah, and I'm going to become Lisa Douglas today."

"I don't think you'll stay single for ever. Even if you do, you still have the kid," House said.

Cuddy just stared forward. She was about to say something to that, but a sudden question came to her head. Smirking, she slowly looked up at him. "You know how the minister asks if anyone is against the marriage and then says speak now or forever hold your peace?"

"Yeah?" House asked as he looked to her with confusion.

"Would you have said anything?" she asked.

House just sat there and stared to her. He was at loss for words. One answer would make it seem like he didn't care and the other would pull him into a relationship. Then again, what was so wrong about the second one? Everyday he had spent trying to be with her, it wasn't like they were going to get married that instant. "Yes," he blurted out not realizing that he had even said it.


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3 ( I Love You)

Cuddy's eyes widened. He would have said something, he would have objected. Confused on how she should even react to that, she looked forward and got up from the table. Walking away a short distance, she sighed. "Why?" she asked and then turned her back to see him from over her shoulder.

House froze. It was hard enough to answer the first question, but this one was ten times harder. He knew the answer he just didn't want to share it. Of course, that was the problem that lead to her going back to the arms of Lucas. "Why does it matter?" he asked trying to get out of answering.

Cuddy turned and completely faced him. "It matters to me. Shouldn't that be enough?" Her eyes were not fixed on him as she awaited her answer.

House was about to say something else, but Lucas quickly made his way over to join the two. Cuddy's face drop with disappointment as soon as she had saw him approaching them. "What is it?" she impatiently asked.

"I wanna know why you just did that," Lucas said. He grabbed Cuddy by the shoulders. Normally, this would have just made House jealous, but this time he had actually seemed to hurt Cuddy.

"Go look in the mirror and see if the question answers itself," House remarked. This was the best way he could figure to get the anger towards him rather than on Cuddy.

Lucas slightly laughed. "Of course! I should have seen it!" He turned and looked to Cuddy. "You would make me look bad in front of my entire family because this man seems to have the hots for you!"

Cuddy stared to him with disbelief. "I come running out here and you're only worried about what your family thinks about you now?" Those last words of his made her feel as worthless as she had ever felt.

"You came running out here after another man! How am I supposed to feel about that?" Lucas yelled.

"You didn't even know he was here until you stepped out here!" Cuddy said. This was the part of him that she had picked up little hints from now and then, but this was the first time that she was truly seeing this side of him. It was almost amazing, yet embarrassing how House had been able to tell her what kind of man Lucas really was, and she never even noticed it.

"If its such a big deal that you get married, why don't you walk in there with a blow up doll? It would certainly suit your IQ level," House remarked. The scene before him was starting to get painful for him to watch. Nothing much had actually happened yet, but he knew that it was about to. "I'm pretty sure its also the only thing that wouldn't turn you down for a little action."

Lucas had had it with that last comment. He wheeled to face him. "She wouldn't be out here right now if it weren't for you so I'd learn to shut up!"

House simply rolled his eyes. "Look here kid," he said as he approached Lucas. "I don't know how the high school status works today or anything like that but I'm pretty sure that since you're in a position that puts you at having more to lose, don't you think you should go protect what you still have rather than trying to play in the big leagues?"

"Considering that this is coming from a cripple?" Lucas asked.

House just rolled his eyes. There were many actions that he could have taken., but he had decided to wait a moment to do anything. Timing was everything. "Considering that she left you for a cripple," he smugly stated. He looked over and studied Lucas for a brief second. "You by any chance crippled in a way that I'm not. Like say in bed?"

Lucas looked over at House and then quickly went forward to try and punch him. House stuck his cane out and tripped Lucas. "Your reflexes are obvious non existent," House said.

Lucas stood up and sighed. There was no way that he was going to win here. "Fine," he said as he steadied himself. "But this entire wedding comes out of your pocket. I'm not paying for some little slut who decides that she can't handle commitment."

Cuddy just rolled her eyes as Lucas walked back to the church. She then turned to House. Something about the way that he had stood up for her made her feel guilty about the things she had earlier said to him. There was jealousy involved, but it was proved to be a good thing.

House sighed as he stared to her. The orange glow from the setting sun highlighted the side of her face and reflected off the loose ebony curls. Her slight smile told him everything that he needed to know.

Cuddy watched as House started to lean in slowly for a kiss. His features were distinct from the shadow that had overcast over the side of his face while the other side highlighted. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle with a small happiness that she had swore she had never seen before on him.

The two leaned in and gently kissed. House then pulled himself away. "Because I love you," he said.

House was about to go in and kiss her again, but Cuddy held her finger up and paused him. "What?" she asked. The words had surprised her, let alone the confusion as to where this explanation was coming from.

"You asked me why I would have objected, because I love you," he said and then went in and kissed her again.

Cuddy was the one to pull back this time. She stared up into House's ice blue eyes for what felt like forever. "I'm sorry," she said.

Without even changing his facial expression he responded, "then show me."

"I think I just did," Cuddy said.

House smirked down at her and then started towards his motorcycle. Cuddy just turned back and watched him. Was that it? He kept her from marrying Lucas and that was it? Nothing more? Nothing?

"Are you coming?" House called over. "I know it can't be that hard to catch up to a cripple!"

Cuddy smiled and then went and joined him. House was already ready to go as she attempted to climb on behind him. "I don't think this will out that well."

House turned and handed her the helmet. "Since tonight's plans of getting it ripped off didn't work so well you thought you'd keep it right?"

"Just drive will you? I want out of here before the guests come out wanting to ask questions," Cuddy said as she tried to gather her dress.

House, without saying anything started the motorcycle and just like that they drove off together.


End file.
